Automatic control for toilets



H. G. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR TOILETS June 15 1926. 1,588,644

Filed Oct. 22, 1 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' 11/ II II All/v Patented June 15, 1926.

HARRY GUY ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

; AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR'TOILETS.

Application filed. 0ctober22, 1925. Serial No. 64,179.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic controls for toilets and more specifically to that type of toilet used on railway coaches. The principal object of the invention is to provide a device that Wlll permit normal flushing of the device only when the train is in motion, the control mechanism being actuated by and dependent solely upon the movement of'th-e train,

means being provided, however, whereby the.

device may be locked in such position that flushing is possible for the purpose of cleanin %he present device is designed primarily for use on cars provided with what is known as the single pan hopper as distinguished from those wherein the double pan hopper is in use.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be here inafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims andillustrated in the ac companying drawings in which I Fig. 1 is a view of the control device in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through Fi 1. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a train toilet illustrating the application of the control device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the tilting table and support therefor.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, the dotted lines denoting an altered position of a movable part.

Fig. 7 is a viewof Fig. 6 with the'movable parts in an altered position.

Fig. 8 is a view of F ig. -7 with the mov able parts in another position.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device affording a clear view of part of the interior mechanism.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism removed from the casing.

Like reference characters, denote corresponding parts throughout the views.

The reference numeral 1 denotes the toilet bowl provided with the single pan 2 formed with the handle 3 rovided with the reach rod 4 that is pivot-a 1y connected to the link pressed 'tionplate 18 is formed with several 5 that projects outwardly through aperforation in the face plate 6 of the housing which in addition to said plate 6 comprises the rear plate 7, side plates 8, 9 and the top and bottom plates lOand 11; saidhousing beingoblong in shape and the side andrear plates being integral, preferably, the re.- maining plates being detachably secured thereto. Brackets '12, 13' are secured by screws 14, 15 to the top and bottom plates respectively as, well as to the perforate re.- cessed roof plate 16 and the perforate base plate 17, said brackets beingfastened to a wall or partition in the car. i Connecting the roof and base plates and resting upon and secured to the latter is the vertical partitionplate 18 whereby the housing is divided into a large'and a small compartment as clearly shown in F ig.2 and an angular support or bracket 19 disposed in the larger compartment-is secured at one end to said partition plate, the free and pointed end thereof contacting with a deportion 20 formed in, a'smallcasting 21 secured to the bottom face of a tilting table '22 the top surface of said table being bevelled toward its center so that a ball 23 will center itself upon the table when the same is level, said table being of atransverse diameter somewhat less than the width of the large compartment and of a length somewhat less than the distance between the side walls. Rising from the top surface of the table upon opposite sides of the center thereof are 24, 24 in such position relative to the partition plate that a strai ht line connecting said pins would be disposed at right angles to said plate, said pins being disposed apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the ball 23.- One corner of said table is formed with a notch 22?.

Secured to the lower face of the table and dependingtherefrom is a strap. 25 that c-arlies the weight 26 whereby said table is balanced upon its support. The said partia vertical slot 27 through which an angular arm 28extends that is carried by a bifurcated sliding bar 29 disposed in the smaller compartment of the housing contiguous to a. vertical rib 30 in tegral with the partition plate and extending from the roof plate 16 to within a short distance from the base plate, said rih30 forming, in conjunction with post 31, a guide for the said sliding bar 29,

the diametrically opposedpins the recessed said post 31 extending from the roof plate to the base plate and being formed with the longitudinal recess 32 engaging with the longitudinally recessed portion 33 OfSELld. sliding bar 29, said post being formed also with a relatively deep recess 34 to afford Clearance for a-lock bar 35 pivotally secured at its upper end in the bifurcation in the bar 29 upon the pin 36. The post 31 is located in one corner of the smaller compartment of the casing and'is secured to the part1- tion plate, to the face plate and to one side plate 7 as well as to the roof and base plates.

Referring again to the said angular arm 28 the free end thereof extends downwardly over the center of'the table 22 and is adapted for contact with the center thereof except at such time as the ball 23 centers itself upon the table when said arm is adapted for contact with the ball that then spaces the arm away from the table. The said sliding arm 29 is bifurcated at a point slightly above the upper end of the pivoted lock bar 35 and said bifurcation forms a short prong 37 that terminates at approximately the free end of the lock bar,

and a long prong 38 that extends to within a short distance from the base plate and is adapted for engagement by a walking beam 39 fulcrumed upon a pin d0 to the partition plate 18, said walking beam in one position resting upon the base plate 17 and at one end operatively supporting the long prong 38 of the sliding bar 29 and when said bar 29 is so supported the ball 23 is off center upon its table and the free end of the arm 28 spaced a very slight distance above said table or it may be in actual contact with the central portion of the table. I

Loose within the smaller compartment of the housing and adapted to rest upon the base plate 17 is an angular block 41 one end of which is bifurcated and provided with the pin l2 whereupon a dog 13 is pivoted that terminates at one end in the heel l t and at the opposite end in the enlarged head l5 one face 46 of which is bevelled. said block and dog being adapted to slide longitudinally of'the rib 30, the transverse diameter of the block being such that when it is'in its position upon the base plate clearance between the block and the partition yplate for the walking beam is provided.

The head 45 of the dog and the heel i l extend laterally from one edge of the shank in a common direction so that when the dog is in vertical position, shown clearly in Fig. 6, the dog is supported off center upon the pin 42. The block is formed, further, with the integral link 5 that extends out through a slot in the face plate to the reach rod 1. Also integral with the block 41 is the upstanding rod' 17 that is disposed in an elongated recess 48 formed in a riser 49 the lower end of which is formed with a 'greater diameter than its upper portion so that it will snugly fill the space between the 7 5 face plate and the partition plate 18' and in normal position resting upon theblock 4:1, as shown in 8, it alsoengages the'walkingbeam, which member it actuates,.and retains the end thereof that engages with the prong 38 in raised position.

The riser extends through aperforation 55 in the roof plate and through an aligned perfo *ation in the top plate of the housing and is provided with the ornamental cap 56 and in its movements longitudinally of the housing it rides against the corner post 57, oblong in cross section, that extends from the roof plate to the base'plate and is secured to both and to the cover plate and side plate 9. I

Referring again to the riser it is formed with a recess 58 adapted to receive the projected portion of the head 45 of thedog in one position of the same. In operation the toilet is flushed'by pulling the cord 5% in the usual manner. I If the train is standing or running at a very slow rate of speed the table 22 will stand level upon its pivotal support and the ball will be centered there- 100 upon and the arm 28 disposed immediately above it. The movement of the lever 53 and pitman 52 transmitted to the link 51 will simply raise the riser 49 which in its up ward movement will tilt the dog 43 into the 105 position shown in Fig. 7. The long prong 38 of the sliding bar 29 is of such reduced diameter that it is flush with the rib 30 and does not interfere with the pivotal movement of the dog As the riser de- 110 scends it will contact with the heel 44 of the dog and re-position thesame. No movement can be transmitted through the dog to the block ll-l. Should the passenger think something wrong with the mechanism he 116 might reach down to the rod land pull. upward upon the same. This movement would but raise the block and dog slight distance or until the head of the dog would contact with the pivotal lock bar which, 120 while the arm 28 is spaced above the table,

"is constantly disposed in the path of movement of said dog, as shown in Fig. 8, due to the fact that a lug in egral with said lock bar rides out of the deep recess 34 of the post 31 at the time the sliding bar 29 is' moved to normal position. This movement forces the lock .bar outwardly from post 31 in which position it must remain until the sliding bar is lowered again to permit the 139 lug 59 to again move into recess 34. This movement of the bar 29 can take place only when the arm 28 contacts with the table 22.

When the train has attained speed and the lateral vibration is sufiicient to cause the ball 23 to roll from the center of the table the mechanism can function and the toilet be flushed. Attention is called to the fact that longitudinal vibration such as would be imparted by applying the brakes, sudden stopping or starting etc. would not disturb the ball due to the location of the pins 24, 24

\Vhen the ball has'moved off center of the table the pull from the hand cord 54 will cause the riser first to ride off the walking beam when the weight of the sliding bar 29 will cause the same to drop sufliciently to come alongsidethe head 45 justbefore the riser contacts with said head. This contact when it does occur will simply move head 45 back into sliding engagement with the short prong 37 and the dog together with the block 41 and link 5 will be raised thus emptying the pan and flushing the bowl. The notch is provided in the riser 49 to insure cooperation between said riser and the walking beam.

An emergency rod extends through perforations in similar corners of the roof plate, top plate and base plate and said rod carries a lug 61 adapted for engagement with the notched corner 22" of the table so 7 that the table may be tilted by manually lifting the rod slightly thus causing the ball to roll off the center of the table so that the mechanism can be flushed and cleaned even though the'train is motionless. A cotter pin 62 carried at the lower end of the rod outside the casing prevents complete withdrawal of the rod from the device.

What is claimed is v 1. In automatic controls for single pan train toilets, atively connected thereto, trip mechanism for the pan releasably connected to said riser, and automatic control mechanism whereby said connection is rendered operative through movement of the train and inoperative through non movement thereof.

2. In automatic controls for single pan train toilets, a flushing lever, a riser operatively connected thereto, trip mechanism for the pan releasably connected to said riser, automatic control mechanism whereby said connection is normally rendered operative through vibration incident to movement of the train and inoperative through lack of vibration incident to lack of movement of the train, and manually controlled means for positively interrupting the normal functioning of said control mechanism.

3. In automatic controls for single pan a flushing lever, a riser oper-' train toilets, an operating lever, a riser operatively connected thereto, trip mechanism for the pan releasably connected to said riser, said mechanism comprising a pivotally supported dog adapted for releasable direct connection with said riser, a sliding bar movable into and out of the path of the pivotal movement of said dog, a pivotally supported table having one face bevelled inwardly toward its center, a ball free upon said table, and an arm carried by said sliding bar for engagement with said ball when the same is centered upon said table whereby said sliding bar is locked in a predetermined position.

4. In automatic controls for single pan train toilets, an operating lever, a riser operatively connected thereto, trip mechanism for said pan, said mechanism comprising a pivotally supported dog adapted for releasable direct connecting to said riser, a sliding bar movable into and out of the path of pivotal movement of said dog, a pivotally supported table having its top face bevelled toward its center, means connecting said table, in the stationary position of the'same, and said sliding bar whereby movement of the latter is arrested, and a lock lever car- 7 ried by said sliding bar and adapted for disposal automatically in the path of movement of said dog in the arrested position of said sliding bar.

5. In automatic controls for single pan train toilets, an operating lever, a riser operatively connected thereto, trip mechanism for said pan, said mechanism comprising a pivotal dog adapted for releasable direct connection with said riser, arecessed post, a bifurcated sliding bar recessed for engagement with said post and movable into and out of the path of pivotal movement of said dog, a lock lever pivotally arranged in the said bifurcation in said sliding bar,

a thrust lug integral with said look lever for engagement with said tion of said sliding bar, and means connecting said table, in the stationary position of the same, and said sliding bar whereby the latter is locked in raised position.

6. In automatic controls for single pan train toilets, an operating lever, a riser operative thereby, trip mechanism for said pan, a pivotally supported tilting table having its top face bevelled in toward its center, a ball disposed upon said table, a roof plate, a base plate, releasable connection between said riser and the pan, a manually operable rod connecting said roof and base plate, and

a lug carried by said rod for tilting engagement with said table. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature.

HARRY GUY ANDERSON.

post in one. posi 

